Sound Off -- Jan.28, 2013

OK, I think it is about time our city council started doing what they were elected to do instead of going after their dreams. For instance, forget the $90,000 to the museum and the $3,000,000 to convert the Convergys building. Let’s put that money where it’s needed, in the Sportsplex, the downtown rejuvenation, and our streets and roads. If more money is needed, then freeze city wages for two years. We need two-way traffic downtown, fix or rebuild the Eighth Street bridge. Come on, mayor and council, get your heads on straight.

We don’t use what we already have

Please, about the youth centre, are you NDP? Because you sure sound like it! I guess if we do have this place we can reduce our police force by half maybe? All these kids will be angels! You are missing the point, there are already lots of places that the youth can use. Tax dollars go toward community centres. The Brandon School Division just signed an agreement with the city to open up the schools after hours for use. There are also the churches and there are already two youth centres (at taxpayers expense) being used now. All I’m saying is to utilize the places that we pay for now, why do you want to increase the financial burden for taxpayers? Like I said, you must be NDP!

Pick a lane and stay in it

I have to use First Street and/or 18th Street North daily and without fail I see stupidity every day. On Jan. 21, a white half-ton truck changed lanes six times between Kirkcaldy and Victoria Avenue. Wow, you broke a record for the shortest distance travelled ... and for what ... red lights and a pedestrian crossing? Brandon drivers have this mentality of having to be first, and cutting people off. No such thing as slowing down and getting in behind. And I agree with whoever said to use pylons between Rosser Avenue and Pacific Avenue on 18th Street — right-lane traffic must turn right onto Pacific. We need policing in unmarked cars and the city could earmark funds for a special project.

No more youth centres!

I was horrified by a recent Sound Off. Three million dollars for a new youth centre? Are you kidding me? We have several community centres, parks, the YMCA and the Sportsplex, to name just a few. We do not need a new youth centre. If anything, we need a bigger library complex (with city archives), but most don’t think libraries are important. This was made evident when the former mayor and council took the library out of the Convergys building. It should have stayed there, and with the art gallery gone, the library would have had room to expand. In its present location, it can’t.

A wise man once said

“The greatest mistake of the movement has been trying to organize a sleeping people around specific goals. You have to wake the people up first, then you’ll get action.” — Malcolm X

Tax the criminals

Instead of property tax increases, hotel taxes etc., why not institute a voluntary “crime” tax for extra city revenue. The only people required to pay this would be the graffiti artists, vandals, thieves, drug dealers and violent idiots. What ... they don’t have money to pay the fines? Start with seizing their cellphones or deduct from their unemployment insurance, welfare cheques, etc. until they learn.

Some restrictions apply

I’ve read in a recent Sound Off that the school children in the U.S. were killed because prayer had been removed from the public schools, but that seems to contradict the Bible. Matthew 6:5-6 KJV says that prayer should be done in “secret,” in one’s “closet” and not in public “as the hypocrites.” If lack of prayer is the problem, then where was God when the thousands of Catholic children were being sexually molested by priests in buildings full of prayer, the Catholic churches? The children were robbed of their innocence, and left with psychological and emotional scars that will never heal. We constantly hear that Jesus loves little children but apparently some restrictions apply.

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Stop dreaming and do your job

OK, I think it is about time our city council started doing what they were elected to do instead of going after their dreams. For instance, forget the $90,000 to the museum and the $3,000,000 to convert the Convergys building. Let’s put that money where it’s needed, in the Sportsplex, the downtown rejuvenation, and our streets and roads. If more money is needed, then freeze city wages for two years. We need two-way traffic downtown, fix or rebuild the Eighth Street bridge. Come on, mayor and council, get your heads on straight.

Please subscribe to view full article.

OK, I think it is about time our city council started doing what they were elected to do instead of going after their dreams. For instance, forget the $90,000 to the museum and the $3,000,000 to convert the Convergys building. Let’s put that money where it’s needed, in the Sportsplex, the downtown rejuvenation, and our streets and roads. If more money is needed, then freeze city wages for two years. We need two-way traffic downtown, fix or rebuild the Eighth Street bridge. Come on, mayor and council, get your heads on straight.

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